Conventional brake linings used for the drag mechanism in a double bearing fishing reel are formed of a single raw material, such as asbestos or phenol resin and are shaped like a plate. Such brake linings are flexible as a whole, but are hard at their surfaces.
The brake lining is interposed between the flange of the spool and the drag disc opposite the flange and is brought into press-contact with the drag disc when the spool and drag disc axially move relative to each other, thereby applying resistance against free rotation of the spool, or driving the spool to slidably rotate with respect to a load thereon. The conventional brake lining, which is flexible as a whole, but hard at the surface thus having local rigidity as above-mentioned, will cause local press-contact with the friction member, such as the spool or the drag disc, when these members are inferior in dimensional accuracy. Such local press-contact may result in positional fluctuations during rotation of the above members.
Hence, the resistance applied against the free rotation of the spool is not uniform, thereby creating a problem in that (1) accurate resistance cannot be applied and (2) non symmetrical wear is caused by the local press-contact so as to reduce the friction area and the maximum dragging force with respect to a press-contact force.